Germany and Netherlands Suffer Shock World Cup Exits as Paraguay and Morocco Advance

The 2026 FIFA World Cup delivered another night of unforgettable drama as Germany and the Netherlands suffered surprise eliminations in the Round of 32, while Brazil survived a tough test against Japan to secure a place in the Round of 16.

Monday’s knockout fixtures produced thrilling encounters, penalty shootouts and one extra-time victory, leaving football fans with some of the tournament’s biggest upsets so far.

Paraguay Eliminate Germany on Penalties

Paraguay stunned four-time world champions Germany by winning 4-3 in a penalty shootout after the match finished 1-1 following extra time.

The South Americans took the lead in the 42nd minute when Julio Enciso headed home from a cross delivered by Matías Galarza.

Germany responded shortly after halftime. Florian Wirtz created the opportunity for Kai Havertz, who equalized in the 54th minute.

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The match remained evenly balanced throughout extra time.

Germany believed they had found the winning goal in the 102nd minute through Jonathan Tah, but the referee disallowed the effort after a VAR review determined Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill had been fouled during the build-up.

With neither side able to score again, the contest went to penalties, where Paraguay held their nerve to secure a historic victory.

It was the first time Germany had ever lost a FIFA World Cup penalty shootout after previously winning all four of their shootout appearances.

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Morocco Knock Out the Netherlands

Morocco continued their impressive World Cup campaign by defeating the Netherlands 3-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw.

The Atlas Lions opened the scoring through Youssef En-Nesyri before the Dutch fought back to level the match and force extra time.

Neither team managed to find a winner during the additional 30 minutes, sending the match to penalties.

Morocco converted their spot kicks with confidence to book a place in the Round of 16.

The victory sends Morocco into a last-16 clash against Canada and marks one of the biggest surprises of the tournament.

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Brazil Survive Japan’s Challenge

Five-time world champions Brazil needed extra time to defeat Japan 2-1 after another determined performance from the Asian side.

Japan frustrated Brazil throughout normal time with disciplined defending and organized play, forcing the match beyond the 90 minutes.

Brazil eventually found the decisive goal during extra time to avoid an early exit and continue their pursuit of a record sixth FIFA World Cup title.

Although Japan were eliminated, their spirited display earned praise after pushing one of football’s most successful nations to the limit.

Knockout Stage Delivers Major Drama

The Round of 32 has already produced several unexpected results, with two traditional football powers leaving the tournament earlier than many supporters had predicted.

Credit: AENEWSLIVE